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Read. Follow. Verify.Alabama Senate Bill 139 revises pretrial detention hearings and sets a 10-day deadline for certain felony arrests
Last action · January 14, 2026: Pending Committee Action in House of OriginSponsor: April Weaver
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill sets a 10-day deadline from arrest to hold a for defendants charged with specific violent or serious offenses, and allows these hearings to satisfy the right to a . It requires all hearings to be recorded and directs appeals of pretrial detention orders to the Court of Criminal Appeals.
Defendants accused of enumerated serious felonies face mandatory detention without bail until a hearing can be held, while setting strict timelines and record-keeping requirements for the courts.
- Pretrial detention procedures govern whether individuals accused of crimes are held in jail prior to their trial or released under specific conditions. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Defendants charged with felonies
Their preliminary hearing rights, bail eligibility timelines, hearing procedures, and appeal pathways are directly modified by the new provisions.
Prosecuting attorneys
They are given the authority to file motions for pretrial detention at any time and face specific continuance limits.
Board of Pardons and Paroles
The board is authorized to supervise certain defendants as a condition of bond and must adopt rules to implement this subsection.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
When must a pretrial detention hearing be scheduled under this bill?
Which court handles appeals of pretrial detention orders?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- Jan 14, 2026SenateCommitteePending Committee Action in House of Origin
- Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Integration of Preliminary and Detention Hearings
The legislation explicitly allows a pretrial detention hearing to satisfy a defendant's absolute right to a preliminary hearing, streamlining court proceedings.
Connected Entities
Sources
alison.legislature.state.al.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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